anything you run on the computer will slow things down a bit, depends on what it is doing and how much resources are being used.

Many virus also target Norton and other antivirus software so that is why it is harder to remove or disable.

Norton has uninstall utility if you want to remove it from your system.

Norton works well in my office environment and is the standard at the university I work at.

here is a nice utility that will help you locate all the stuff that is started automatic when the windows os starts up. great way to remove the stuff that is really slowing down the pc. Microsoft liked the utility so much they purchased the author Sysinternals.

For free anti-spyware, use both Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware; if one misses something, the other should catch it. For a paid anti-spyware, Webroot Software's Spy Sweeper is excellent.

Norton is bloatware; the uninstaller does not remove all traces, leaving various bits & pieces behind both in the registry and in the filesystem.

I've used all the above (including Norton and McAfee) and endorse AVG, Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware and Spysweeper; since switching to SuSE Linux, though, I've not had to concern myself with Windows-based security issues...

Clyde I feel the same way about Norton. Thats why I do not run it any more.

MacAfee has always been a memory hog.

SpyBot S&D lost ground in its effectiveness.

Ad-Aware removed some needed Windows dll files and had to re-load windows. The XYL points and click away at stuff on her computer and its gone! Not use friendly for the un-friendly, if you know what I mean.

I had BeSafe on her computer, and worked for a while until she started to read some forum stuff for cake decorating then I had to disengage content filter so she could read it, then CPU just got sick from a virus.

Use to run Spy Sweeper from Web Root when I was with AT&T. It was free then. Stuff still got through and sent Ad-Aware, and Norton after the rest. Still never cleaned it all out. Had to wipe the drive and start over.

Besafe, MacAfee and Spybot could not remove it. Norton did. Removed Norton again. Darn program. Seams the best way is to stay away from the popular stuff and throw every thing you can get a hold of, at it.

You are asking about Spam Filtering, Virus Protection and not slowing your computer down. Any active protection must slow your computer down somewhat.

Spam Filtering - Forget your ISP and local filtering programs. Use an online email service such as Gmail or MS Hotmail Live. Once set up and you have identified spam to train the server, they do a great job. They also offer other benefits vs email programs that download email to your machine.

Anti Virus - AVG Free is the best anti virus program. The paid versions have more administrative features but use the same virus database. Performance impact is minimal and it also protects against some internet trojans.

Adware Spyware - This is the big problem area. First, use the Firefox web browser. Use MS Internet Explorer only for web sites that use Active X. Active X is the path a lot of spyware uses to get into your computer.

A lot of the programs mentioned are cleaner/scanners but provide no active protection. The best free combination we found is MS Defender and Threatfire.

This combination takes longer to boot as it scans everything but is not that bad after started up.

Bottom Line - If you browse the internet a lot, you will get infected if using MS Windows so have backups of all your data etc. If you have to reformat to reinstall windows, do the long (not the quick/short) format to fully remove all traces of malware. We use an imaging program to copy a clean installation and just burn it back on the hard drive when windows gets all out of whack.

Tip - Try a live boot version of Linux such as Ubuntu for internet browsing.

Norton is near impossible to get rid of. Search internet for a file that will finally get it ALL off your computer. That does work.

Than use Microsoft Defender free unlimited program from Micresoft site and Avast antivirus. Both are free and unlimited. Neither are memory hogs. Avast automatically updates frequently and lets you know.

I won't leave home without them. Simply they are the best and they work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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